Coronation Street ‘work out’ who is targeting Abi – and it’s ‘not Cassie’
Coronation Street viewers are convinced they have worked out who is behind the deepfake porn videos of Abi Franklin, with a new clue pointing the finger at Rowan Cunliffe
Corrie enthusiasts reckon they’ve sussed out the mystery tormentor giving Abi Franklin (Sally Carman) nightmares.
The Weatherfield favourite has been left reeling after someone used AI to create fake adult videos of her and spread them online. Abi’s been in the dark about who’s behind the cruel prank, with fingers pointing at Cassie Plummer (Claire Sweeney) due to her obvious crush on Abi’s hubby Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) and her green-eyed monster act towards Abi.
But after the latest instalment, fans are betting on a different baddie. Over the past few weeks, viewers have watched Rowan Cunliffe (Emhrys Cooper) get his claws into Leanne Battersby with his questionable lifestyle group, The Institute.
The TV hunk has been isolating Leanne from her friends and family including her fiancé Nick Tilsley and even her sister Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor) when she’s needed them most. Instead, the group leader has been comforting her as she opened up about her struggles in her life.
Rowan has been promising to help her heal with his so-called self-help guidance. But it turns out he’s been secretly recording every word Leanne spills.
It’s fair to say Toyah’s had her suspicions about him from the beginning. Friday night’s episode (June 6) left viewers flabbergasted when it was revealed that Rowan and The Institute had been exploiting AI technology to manufacture fraudulent videos of deceased relatives.
Now viewers are convinced the group have been using Leanne’s bereavement for ulterior motives. Prompted by this unsettling twist in the storyline, fans took to X – formerly known as Twitter – to speculate if there may be a link between this deceitful tactic and the fake videos of Abi.
One curious viewer suggested: “Maybe Rowan is the 1 doing the fake videos!” Meanwhile another exclaimed: “Another flaming bit of AI? So it was Rowan behind Abi’s fake videos now was it? #Corrie”.
A third posted: “Makes me wonder are the two connected? ” putting fuel on the speculative fire. Adding to the suspense, another fan speculated: “If Rowan has done AI maybe he’s the one who is doing the AI Abi videos? #Corrie.”
To thicken the plot, garage employee Cassie found herself in hot water last week after being caught ridiculing Abi and her predicament, which subsequently cost her job. Cassie seemed genuinely convinced that the controversial videos featuring Abi were authentic, leading fans pointed out her lack of technical know-how to have fabricated such content.
After a heated dispute with Abi and Kevin over her remarks, a crestfallen Cassie was on the receiving end of viewers’ sympathy. Is she the innocent party, and is Rowan the real puppet-master at play? Viewers will have to stay tuned to find out.